MRS has developed the Campaign for Better Data against a backdrop of the opportunity and risks for the research sector posed by AI and its potential to exacerbate inaccurate information. 

MRS launches the campaign today ( 1st May) with new guidance on using AI, synthetic data and related technologies. The guidance covers the breadth of AI in the research sector – from ethics and legislation to usage opportunities. 

The organisation has called on the research sector to ‘continue to be vigilant’ and hone its skills to ‘further fortify data accuracy and quality’ and future-proof the sector. 

In addition to the new AI guidance, MRS is offering new training courses aimed at helping researchers build the professional skills needed to ensure data is accurate, transparent and can stand up to scrutiny.  

The MRS campaign brings together Ipsos and Kantar as founding members of a collaborative group to shine a spotlight on and improve data quality through the sharing of experience and best practice.

Kelly Beaver, chief executive, Ipsos UK & Ireland, said: “The issue of client and participant trust is central to the future of our industry and continuing to deliver data of the highest quality is of paramount importance. Demonstrating how to responsibly harness the game-changing potential of AI, particularly as we further embrace synthetic data, is key – understanding that without quality real-world data, there can be no quality synthetic data.”

Caroline Frankum, chair, Kantar’s Profiles division, said: “As a sector we’re responsible for ensuring we truly reflect the ever-changing world we serve to meaningfully inform decision-making. This means trained professionals coming together to proactively combat increasingly sophisticated survey fraud, give increasingly time-poor panellists an engaging experience, and ensuring our data quality standards are fit for purpose in an era of AI and LLMs. This is why we have been working with The MRS for some time on this campaign and believe its launch today couldn’t be timelier.”

The Campaign for Better Data builds on the Global Data Quality initiative launched by MRS, in partnership with wider insights organisations globally, to offer clear data quality guidance and standards.

Jane Frost, chief executive, MRS, said: “Research has a unique role to play in today’s ‘post-truth’ society, and strengthening people’s trust in the data we produce is more important than ever.  Achieving this will require investment in time, people and systems across the sector.  

“We’ve been working behind the scenes with our Company Partners to develop the resources and guidance to help researchers build the skills needed to maintain rigorous data quality, and navigate and cut through the impacts of misinformation.  After all, data is only as powerful as the people working with it. 

“With the Campaign for Better Data, we are making sure the research sector is armed with the resources to meet the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century and remain the driving force behind impactful decision-making.”

• All resources can be found on the Campaign for Better Data site.
  

• The forthcoming MRS Data Driven Insights Conference, on 3rd July, will cover how to blend human intelligence, AI capabilities and data integration.